Cloud by Day and Fire by Night!

                                     Exodus 13:21 & 14:19-31

 

Focus Statement:    This scripture shows how the pillar of cloud

by and day and pillar of fire by night were

given as visible signs of the Lord's leading

the Hebrew people out of Egypt.

 

Function Statement: Because of this sermon, the congregation will be more alert for and receptive to the visible signs of the Lord's presence in their lives and will be more available to be used as signs in someone else=s life.

 

1st movement:

At our first full-time pastorate in Indiana at Concord Church in Bloomfield, as a part-time job, we also did the church cleaning.  One day I went into the sanctuary, put a tape in the PA system to listen to, and proceeded to pick up and vacuum the church.  I was listening to the music and probably singing along as I vacuumed between, and under the pews.  It took a quite a while to give it a thorough vacuuming.  I had been having some hard times and was at a rather low time in my life.  Much of it had to do with ministerial things.  I had some rather difficult stuff that I was dealing with which isn't necessary to share and in respect of confidentiality I won't.  Some of it had to do with the fact I hadn't learned to be there for people; but yet, know where to just turn it over to the Lord and leave it there, that there was only so much I could do and so far that I could go in solving someone else=s problems!  Then the tape comes to a song called, "Light at the End of the Darkness."  That song caught my attention and I stopped in tears and listened for awhile.  It talked about the darkness of life and how in Christ there is light at the end of the darkness: there is hope for the hopeless and a soothing balm for pain and misery!  It said this light shines for all the world to see.  It will shine on our hearts if we will let it!  It's as near as our faith but sometimes seems fleeting!  So look up when you are down and try to believe!  It said, "sometimes we have to be knocked down to make us look upward," and at these times in faith we needed to look upward and try to believe!  It said, "I was looking up from the bottom when it finally shined on me!  Take a listen:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EszGLC5r4bU

I felt like I was there, and I encountered God that day in that empty church.  God and I had a prayer meeting that day!  This song became for me that day an audible sign of God's presence in my life.  It became an assurance of what I already believed!  And it helped me to take to the Lord what I couldn't bare by myself!

2nd movement:

In our scripture today, the Hebrew people are being led out of Egypt by a visible sign of God: a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.  They could and did easily forget that God was there because they were used to the idea of associating God with a place: the tabernacle.  They moved their tabernacle with them, and it was hard for them to imagine God any other place!  God was in the inner most sanctum of this tabernacle: the holy of holies!  They were told that within this cloud or fire was God!  This was a new concept for them.  They needed this visible sign of God's presence and leading to remind them of God's work in what was happening here. That is what the Cloud by Day and Fire by Night was to them, a visible sign of God’s presence!

3rd movement:

I think sometimes we receive and need audible and visible signs of God's presence.  We get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life and can forget that God is there!  Signs still stand as reminders to us that God is active in our lives.  I think that is what that song was for me that day.  I think I am more receptive to audible signs such as I have described, but others are more receptive to visible signs: stained glass windows, crosses, seeing something written rather than hearing it spoken.  Seeing someone do an act of kindness in the name of Christ.  Sometimes we even use the sense of taste such as in taking communion!  Sometimes we experience signs with more than one of our senses.  Sometimes it is something someone says at a particular time in our lives!  Sometimes it is something that happens or something someone does!  Sometimes it is just because someone is there; this is especially true when that someone's spirituality is highly respected.  Do we look for the signs of God's presence in our lives?  Do we expect to see signs of God in our everyday lives?  I believe those signs are there because I have experienced God in some of the most unexpected times and places!  I have tried to share one of these times with you today.  I thank God for God's signs even when I wasn't looking for them!  I thank God that God can step into everyday life and make us aware of God's presence!  It isn't anything I have done; it's God stepping into our lives by a sign and saying here I am, "Excuse me!  Can I have your attention please?@  I thank God for people who have represented God to me!  I pray that God will use me as a sign of God's presence in someone else's life.  What about you?  How does God use signs in your life?  How has God's presence been made known to you?  How is God using you?  (pause)

As we take communion today, first, I hope the smell of the bread, the taste of the juice, the words of institution stand as visible signs to you of God’s presence, but secondly, as we encounter Christ at the table today, ask Christ to use you as a visible sign of God’s presence to someone else as we go forth this week.  Ask Christ to let you be just what someone needs to experience God this week!

Prayer of Confession

Service of Communion